Ancient Africa North Africa Egypt Aksum Kush Ancient

Ancient Africa

North Africa • Egypt • Aksum • Kush

Ancient Egypt

Location • • Egypt was located in the Nile River Floodplain Predictable flooding Fertile farmland Three Seasons of the Nile – Season of Going Out • Floodwaters receded exposing fertile land • Farmers planted and tended crops – Season of Harvest • Farmers harvested crops • All crops belonged to Pharaoh • Huge surplus lasted the entire year – Season of Flood • Spring • Mineral rich silt was carried down stream from mountains • Provided very fertile soil • Farmers spent these months working for the Pharaoh

Pre-Dynastic Period 3200 -2600 BC • Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt separate kingdoms united • Dynastic System develops • Ruler (Pharoah) considered divine • Irrigation projects lead to an abundance of food and population explosion

Old Kingdom Egypt The Pyramid Age 2600 BC – 2150 BC • • Era of Relative Peace and Stability Major construction projects • 2600 BC – 1 st Pyramid Building – Tombs of Pharoahs • 2500 BC – Great Pyramids & Sphinx constructed at Giza – Hieroglyphics standardized – Evidence of graffiti at tombs • 2100 BC – Regional nobles competed for control – Dynasty loses control

Middle Kingdom Egypt World Trading Power 2100 BC – 1700 BC • 2000 BC – Strong Pharaohs from Thebes gain control of the kingdom – Mentuhotep II regains control over all of Egypt – New capital in Lisht – Egypt becomes an international power by reconquering Nubia and expanding trade routes – Foreigners called Hyksos from eastern Mediterranean settle in Egypt during good times • 1500 BC – Hyksos eventually gain control of Lower Egypt – Native Egyptians still control Upper Egypt from Thebes

New Kingdom Egypt The Age of Empire 1550 BC – 1075 BC • 1550 BC – Rulers from Thebes reassert control and drive out Hyksos – Expand borders of Egypt in military campaign designed to strengthen the empire – Take control of Nubia and the Levant – Force tribute from Babylon, Assyria and other neighbors top the East • 1400 BC – Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton) attempts to monotheism • 1320 Ramses II – Strong, warrior Pharaoh – Signed treaty w/ Hittites impose

Ancient Egypt • Three Kingdoms Old Middle New

Religion • • Polytheistic Fair & predictable gods Pharaoh was divine Egyptians belief in an afterlife led to mummification • “Book of the Dead” outlines requirements for afterlife • Pyramids represent importance of afterlife in Egyptian thought

Government • Bureaucracy • Pharaoh a living god • Vizier chief administrator of Pharaoh’s government • Local nobility and priests administer government responsibilities

Economics • Nile river the foundation of a strong, stable economy • Silt provided enough fertile land to produce enough crops for the entire population for a full year • Surplus used for trade and to support the less fortunate • Season of Flood provide a huge urban work force • Middle Kingdom began to become a world trade power

Accomplishments • Pyramids • Hieroglyphics • Papyrus • Medicine • Astronomy • Math • Literature

Important People • Menes – Foundations • Hatshepsut – Trade • Akhenaton – Monotheism • Tutankhamun – Tomb • Ramses. II – War / treaty – Exodus?

Hieroglyphics Chart Use this chart to write your name and a secret message using Egyptian Hieroglyphics!

Hieroglyphics A (cat) A (make) B C CH D E (pet) E (be) F G H I J K M N O O (dog) (sew) G (girl) L (gym) P Q/U R S S (rays) SH T V Y Z

Reasons for Decline • Old Kingdom – Disunity / greed of local nobles • Middle Kingdom – Hyksos • New Kingdom – Assyrians

Geography Government Economics Religion Social Structure Isolated River Valley Theocratic Agrarian Polytheistic Hierarchical Dynastic Stable Animistic Bureaucratic Strong Surplus Positive Regular Flooding Plentiful Food & Water Predictable